


The Stranger

by LostRaineDrop



Category: James "Bucky" Barnes - Fandom, Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Abuse, Bucky Barnes Feels, F/M, Kidnapping, Love, Protective Bucky Barnes, Self Harm, Slow Burn, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:41:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21723928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostRaineDrop/pseuds/LostRaineDrop
Summary: A woman is out in the woods and finds a stranger, and wants to help. Little did she know that she would end up falling for him. There should probably be more tags on here, I am choosing not to add them. I don't know how many apply, There's a lot to sort through. I am trying to make it as interesting as possible.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	1. The Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys. I am a new creator here, and this is my first post ever. I hope to continue it, as I have over a year's worth of working with someone for this fanfiction. I don't know if they're on here, but they're honestly amazing. So yeah, There's a lot more to come.

The trees were an array of fire as fall swept over America. A girl sat at her campsite, a remote area, with cabins spread out, as well as areas to set up camping sites. She stared at the tree tops, seeing how the leaves were splashed with colors of fire and blood. It was quiet, allowing her to relax for once. Only the occasional bird call or snapping of a twig, or distant chittering would pierce the still silence of this forest now and again. A quick and chilling breeze could be felt, making strands of her hair dance in the wind before abruptly falling back to her shoulders. A parked car rested to the left of her, facing the road she used to get to this site, across from her small blue tent. A ring of rocks sat in front of her, still warm from the fire she just put out. It was exactly what she needed. To get away from the hectic city. The men and women who forgot what it was like to live. From the constant repetitiveness and negativity. From children who were neglected at home and at school, so they end up lashing out. She felt like she could finally breathe again, this time without having another episode. Then she felt it, another person in these woods with her.  
They were quite a distance away from each other, so she couldn’t tell who they were, only being able to hear the slight buzzing they gave off. It made her get up and search around for her bag for a moment, in her tent. The tent was small, with a red rolled up sleeping bag on the floor of it. A grey duffel bag rested next to it, and she searched around in it for a minute before she pulled out a double barrel shotgun and a glock 26. She slung the shotgun across her back, so she could walk without it being too heavy. She then grabbed her ammo, and loaded her glock, starting to make her way through the woods to where she felt the buzzing coming from. It was odd, not like the rest of the people that came through these woods. It was more concentrated, with more emotion attached to them than every other hiker, backpacker, or jogger that came out here to get away from their lives as well.  
She took trails that were well worn so that she did not make much noise. Her eyes pierced through the foliage as she made her way through the cold fire. As she got closer to the buzzing, she realized that this person was also walking toward her, as it got louder and more clear, coherent thoughts could be heard. ‘Where are they? Make them pay…’ It caused the woman to stop short for a moment. She did not know if this person was coming for her, or for someone else, but based on the quietness of the rest of their thoughts, she assumed that this person was completely focused on their task. She had a feeling that they might be carrying a weapon, and tried to veer away out of a line of fire from them.  
The man that trekked through these woods observed how dense it was, sunlight only making its way to the ground in small spots. It made the world look red around him. He was aware that he did not know these woods well, as he focused on finding the object of his attention for the moment, or rather the person he was hunting. He carried a semi-automatic firearm, and was currently wearing black pants, and a black tactical vest. In the pockets was ammunition and knives, and a map. His piercing blue eyes looked ahead, focused on his goal. His dark hair was down to his jaw, the wind blowing black strands as he stepped carefully. The man stepped into a patch of sunlight, and for a moment, a faint red star could be seen on his left arm, as it glinted in the light. He was currently following the lead of his last informant, hunting down someone. He was determined to find them, and nothing would stop him from finding them.  
These emotions of anger and determination ebbed at the woman’s own mind. She knew they were not hers, and she could start to hear more of these person’s thoughts. Now she could start to hear them, as she heard the quiet sound of leaves crunching as this person walked through the underbrush and not the trail. “Who’s there,” she called out quietly. She did not need to speak loudly, as her voice broke the stillness of the air. It was high pitched, but firm as she spoke those two words. She knew this person heard her as the buzzing became louder, and she gripped her glock tighter, getting ready to fight if needed. She felt this person, now a man, she assumed. She didn’t know how she knew, just that she did, as it was common for her now.  
The man stopped, as he believed her heard a noise. He was deep in this forest now, and it was about to be dusk, as what animals were making noise previously were now starting to quiet down. His heart raced and his grip tightened on the gun he held now, his finger on the trigger. He looked around, his head whipping in different directions, as he tried to hold onto what the noise sounded like so he could determine if it was someone, thing, or an animal. Alas, the memory of what he heard was fleeting from his mind, but he still stayed still. Call it instinct or paranoia. Once more he heard it: a soft, ‘hello?’ Someone was here with him, and he raised his gun now. He couldn’t see anything, or anyone. The trees were dense and his heart rate picked up more now that he knew it was a person.  
The small woman felt this man’s unease turn into paranoia and fear, causing him to become hyper alert. ‘Uh oh, that’s not good,’ she thought to herself. She knew that people started to become skittish when they’re afraid. That they’re more likely to behave irrationally. She had to tread carefully now, so her mind, like a fog, crept into this person’s mind. She began to send feelings of peace, calmness, a soft feeling like trust as well. ‘It is alright. Calm down,’ she thought softly to him, hoping to compel him to do so. Boy was she wrong, it caused him to panic more internally.  
The larger man wheeled around, looking for the owner of that voice, and then he felt something strange, like someone telling him to calm down. He tried to push the feeling away, and focus more on where the voice had come from. It was hard, as there were quite a few things for the noise to bounce off of here. The density of the woods did not help him in this situation. Then he stopped abruptly. There was a voice in his head, and it wasn’t his. No, that’s impossible. He was alone out here. ‘Who would-’ his thoughts were scattered, fearful as they raced through his brain. The thoughts themselves, and the feelings were calm, but fear gripped him. He knew that feeling. The feeling of losing control over his own mind. Someone had done that to him before, and he would not let that happen again. “Not again...not again,” he told himself in a gruff voice, like he was straining. He tried to fight the feelings, the intruder in his mind.  
The small woman felt anger grip whoever this was, and silently, she took off her shoes. She did not want to make any noise, and she knew these woods well enough anyways. She crept her way towards the stranger, and when she saw his back to her, she said out loud, “Don’t shoot.” With that, she hid behind a tree, hoping he wouldn’t shoot her. She was unsure, though, based on how he tried to fight her emotions. Strands of her red brown hair caught on the bark of the tree she stood behind. The woman took deep breaths to try her best to stay calm and not be as affected by the stranger than she actually was.  
The man turned around, gun pointed to the trees for now. “Who are you? Show yourself!” His voice was loud and commanding, like someone who was in the military. Though, both the man and the woman knew that inside, he actually felt insecure. The feeling in his mind frightened him, as he had not expected something like that to happen. Because he was so focused on the feeling that he had not remembered, or rather did his best to forget, he did not notice that the voice was that of a woman’s. Now he stood there in those woods, frightened, and very aware that there was someone there with him now. For a moment, he wished he had not decided to come here, as he kept his gun pointed at the tree where he had heard the voice.  
Once more the voice of the woman called out, doing her best to get him to cooperate. “Lower the gun, and then I’ll come out. Safety on. And I will know if it isn’t either of those things.” She stayed stock still, her blood rushing through her ears, drowning out ambient noise, while simultaneously, she was straining to hear anything unusual, like someone walking. His fear was overwhelming her, making her stomach turn as she stayed behind that tree. It made her feel sick, like she was about to puke. “Please, calm down,” she called out again, “You’re going to make me throw up.” Her eyes squeezed shut, covering the green irises, as she tried to keep the bile down. She tried to focus on the cool air instead, but she couldn’t completely without taking her focus off of him.  
After she spoke, it clicked that this person talking to him was a woman. The stranger hesitated, breathing heavily, shown by his vest moving with his chest. “How do I know that you won’t shoot me the moment I lower my gun?” He did not her. He did not trust anyone, otherwise he would have been long dead by now. He slightly lowered the gun in his hand as he stared at the tree intently, like he would be able to look right through it and see the woman behind it. If he could, he would see that she had a hand to her mouth, trying to to puke. That she looked to be in pain for the moment, but he would not know that it was because of her. He thought about what she said, and as he replayed it, her last words confused him even more. ‘Who is this woman,’ he thought to himself.  
The sound of clicking was heard, and the woman, from her tree, came out, throwing first her glock to his feet, the safety on, before throwing her shotgun to his feet as well. “Because how did I know that you were here, alone. And I wouldn’t be able to ask you why you’re here, alone and isolated.” The woman was small, only five feet tall, wearing skinny jeans. She wore a long sleeve dark green shirt, a dark blue vest on top, as it wasn’t cold enough to wear a coat on top yet. Her boots, black, and lined with faux fur were behind her somewhere, her feet bare on the ground.  
Her skin was a creamy white, cheeks rosy, but her face otherwise pale, as she felt sick. Her nose was cute, and button-like. Meanwhile, her lips were full and red, looking soft, well, other than the fact that they were firmly closed as she tried not to puke. It was too late, as she fell onto all fours. Her stomach let out a growl, or a groan as she panted quietly, touching her head to the ground to ground herself.  
The man watched the girl, at first with suspicion, then surprise. He took the time to notice that she was obviously much smaller than him, but held rather distinct firearms. He did not expect for her to get on all fours like that. She looked like she was heaving a little, even. “Are...are you okay?” He lowered his gun and took a couple steps back from her. Maybe he was wrong and had overreacted, and this was just a harmless person. ‘But those guns aren’t,’ a small voice inside of his head said quietly. She held her hand out to him as he took a step back, his emotions swinging wildly was causing her to feel more nauseous. Even still, his fear was still very much apparent, and it made her stomach turn. Before she could stop it, or even warn him, her mouth opened and whatever she last consumed poured out. It was mostly water bile, as she only really drank water and tea while out here, and the remnants of the jerky she had this morning. Her eyes watered, and she blinked hard, trying to clear her sight. She took in a rattling gasp of air as she glared up at him.  
“I told you to calm down!”  
“I...I am calm,” the man said, concerned for the girl as he watched her, but it was only half true. He was confused by what she said once more. This meeting in general was strange. Apparently, the girl was no danger, but he was still on high alert, only he did not show it. He looked around them. Was she all alone out here? In this state, it was good he found her. He watched as she spit out what was in her mouth before shakily standing, like a newborn dear. “No, only partially. I can feel it. You’re trying to hear anything that would make the alarm bells in your head go off.” She wiped her mouth with her arm, sleeve rolled up, before swallowing whatever was left over in her mouth. It tasted vial, and she made a slight face of disgust as she did so.  
When he heard what she said, his grip on his gun once more tightened and he heard those metaphorical alarm bells go off in his head. “Who are you? Why can you read my mind? Stop that!” His teeth clenched as he once more pointed his gun to her again. His breathing sped up once more as he looked at the small woman standing in front of him. He had met a lot of people with...abnormal abilities. It reminded him of dark times, long ago, but still painful, like a fresh wound reopened. She only glared at him a little, wanting him to point the gun down again, but knowing he wouldn’t.  
“I’m not really reading your mind. You didn’t like it, so I got out of it. I’m reading your emotions, and you’re an absolute open book to me right now. Please, lower your gun and I can take you to my camp. I can get you food and we can talk, okay?”  
The man with the blue eyes stared at her as the gears in his head turned. Could he trust her? Was she telling the truth? He then lowered the gun, and thought about it. “Alright. I’m sorry if my emotions made you feel unwell.” Maybe she could help him after all. If she had her camp here, or could be she knew a thing or two about this place.  
She smiled at his decision. “I’m Willow,” she said as he picked up her weapons and handed them back to her. The woman named Willow now slung her shotgun across her back once more, and holstered her glock 26. As she went to go get her shoes she heard, “You can call me Bucky. All my friends do.” she noticed that he spoke in a mix of a New York accent mixed with Russian. ‘Interesting,’ Willow thought to herself.


	2. Kindling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! Thanks for sticking around for the read. This is the second chapter, and I think you might enjoy the intimacy two strangers share together.

Willow put her shoes back on, leaning her left hand against a tree as she slipped the black boots on. With a shaky breath, she was ready to go. The small woman gave him a soft smile before saying, “Alright. Follow me. I have an extra sleeping bag if you need it.” With that, she started to lead him back to her campsite. She took the path she previously used to get to him earlier. It was worn down, as many people had traveled this path before, boots tromping on the ground as people searched for something intangible. She took in deep breaths of cool and crisp air, her stomach now starting to calm down as they walked. The sun was closer to setting now, as the shadows became elongated, exaggerating the features of the forest. Their trip to her campsite was silent, except for the sound of their boots hitting the ground, or their clothes being caught on the underbrush, causing the branches to rustle as they passed.   
Bucky watched the back of this strange woman’s head as they walked. Her dark brown and red hair in a loose braid that rested against her back, slightly swinging as she walked with purpose in front of him. She was much shorter than him, but a mystery as well. He wondered what she was doing here. Was she living out here? How did she know these woods so well? How did she find him? Who was she? Did he need to be worried about her intentions? He did not voice his thoughts as they walked. She answered them anyways. She could hear him as he was the only other person out here with her currently, and he was right next to her.   
“I do not live here. I just come out here to get away from all the noise. People can just be…” she never finished that sentence before continuing, “I am, unfortunately, privy to all their thoughts and emotions.” Willow said this as she spotted her camp. The dark blue tent, the green camp chair sitting in front of the fire circle, its back toward them, and her grey SUV. When they entered the clearing, she went to a container next to her car, and got out some matches. She grabbed a couple of kindling sticks, and some logs. She neatly arranged the dried pieces of twigs and grass, before striking a match and placing it under the twigs. The fire caught the dried wood easily and she gently blew on it to make sure the flame didn’t die out, adding larger sticks every couple of minutes. In only five minutes, they had a roaring fire for them, as she gently arranged logs to rest on top of it, and setting a bar on top of two stands next to the fire circle. It was blackened, and had a hook in the middle of it. She got out a can of chicken noodle soup from a cooler that rested in front of the trunk, and poured it into a pot, also blackened over years of sitting above a fire. She hooked the handle part to the rod above the fire, and poured a little water in it.   
“There, now we just wait for it to heat up,” she said as she stood up, dusting her hands. It was obvious she had done this before, and she walked back to the container next to the cooler, and put the matches away, trading it for another cup. She poured a bottle of water into it, and walked over to him, gesturing him to sit, as he looked a little awkward, just standing there, watching her do all these things. Willow handed him the cup and got another camping chair from her car, setting it up slightly next to his, so she could talk to him easier.   
As she worked, Bucky looked around the camp. It was small, but neat. He watched her do this routine, and slightly seemed embarrassed, or rather surprised as she offered him her seat. He sat down, placing the butt of his gun on the ground, and resting the barrel of it against his leg. The safety was on, so he wasn’t worried about it going off. Bucky took the cup filled with water and drank it. The coolness of it felt good, as he was parched from not carrying any food or drink with him through these woods. He cleared his throat awkwardly, and only looked at her through his peripheral vision, making it seem like he was staring at the fire. Apparently, she was one of those gifted people after all, making her that much more dangerous. With that, he started the conversation with, “So, you can read my emotions...but can you...manipulate them in any way?”   
He was obviously quite nervous, and it made Willow smile a little. She watched the soup as she answered, “Only if I try. I try not to, as it is an invasion of privacy that I cannot help. I only try to calm people down, or make sure they aren’t in pain. Even then, I only try to suggest the emotions, not force them upon someone. Same with thoughts.” Bucky only nodded slowly, thinking about what it must be like. “I can only imagine a talent like that is a heavy burden in a hectic world like ours.”   
He was thankful for the warming fire she built, after walking hours through the forest, especially in the autumn air. Seeing the soup being warmed up made him hungry. Perhaps it was a lucky incident that he met her out in these woods. She stood and got them each bowls before she started to speak again.   
“Yes. People’s thoughts are loud. They tend to be mostly self centered, which is just human nature, but they drown the rest of the world out for me. I try to make my mind quiet, and drown them out by listening to music. It sometimes works. I tend to go to the theater often, or the movies. The actors on stage are the only ones really thinking. Everyone else is quiet. Same with the movies, except I don’t hear the people on the screen.” She sat down once more and refilled his cup, and he nodded in slight thanks before taking a swig of it. Willow took off her guns and put them back in her bag for now, not needing them. After he took his drink, he looked directly at her and asked, “Besides that it stresses you, what did you learn about the minds of people? I mean, it’s a very powerful gift. You know people’s darkest secrets. You could-,” he stopped short and furrowed his brow. He didn’t want to give her suggestions, or push her into something she might regret later. But it was clear that he already had many horror scenes in his head.   
“I learned that humans are monotonously boring. I don’t care about their secrets. I try not to dig into anyone’s head. It’s uncomfortable for me. I’m a private person, and I know I would hate to have someone go through my head. Instead, I just try to read emotions. It makes everything easier.” Willow chuckled a little at how he didn’t continue what he thought she could do. It was like he forgot that she could read minds. But, she cut him some slack and gave him her reading of him. “Like right now, you’re remembering something, and less on edge. You don’t want me to pry in your mind.” She stared at the fire for a moment, before asking, “Someone had already gotten into your head, yes?”  
When Bucky looked back up at her, her eyes were serious, the light of the fire dancing in those green eyes. She stared at him with an intensity, and although she was serious, she was not being judgemental. The man looked back into the fire. “Yes,” was all the answer he gave her before taking another sip from his cup. It was probably to occupy his mouth so he did not have to elaborate, but he would never admit that. Even though he didn’t want them, the memories came back. Such painful memories. The worst part was that they were only pieces he couldn’t quite fit. Even after all these years, his past seemed like a puzzle with a lot of missing pieces. But the things he remembered...what they did to him. It upset him, and it hurt. But the most overwhelming part was the guilt, the neverending guilt. It was a like a river he had to wade through, every day, except he could only breathe because his nose and mouth were above water. He was close to being suffocated with it. All those things he did...terrible things. He looked back up into her eyes once more. He questioned if she had just witnessed his thoughts, and hoped that she did not. Unfortunately, she did, but Willow said nothing. “A long time ago,” he finished, trying to brush it off like he was not just affected heavily by it.  
When he looked back at her, she was at his side, on her knees as he thought. “I can temporarily make it go away, if you want. The pain. You reek of it.” Nothing on her face gave any bad intentions. Her eyes were soft as she looked at him, sitting up a little straighter for now.   
“Maybe you could get some good night’s sleep tonight? If you let me help, you won’t have nightmares. Or PTSD. You won’t remember what they did to you tonight. Or how and what you felt. But this is up to you. I won’t do anything you don’t want to do.” Her green eyes stayed trained on him as she spoke. She studied his brow, and the slight beard he was growing out. The bags under his piercing blue eyes. The slight frown that seemed to be etched into his lips after years, almost like how he forgot to smile.   
Bucky looked into her eyes. They seemed to be truthful, sincere, but even still, suspicion occupied his mind. Over time he had gained a skill at detecting people who were lying, and who wasn’t. She wasn’t. Willow looked directly into his eyes, asking for an answer silently. After what seemed like an eternity, he heard himself asking, “You could really do that?” Part of why he was on this mission was that illusion, that is the people who were involved with his past, with turning him into a monster, if they got what they deserved, then it would all go away. That he would finally find redemption. But deep inside himself, he knew that this wasn’t true. That it was merely a soldier’s fantasy. He knew that killing these people would not help, but Bucky hesitated. “No, you don’t need to do it. I’m okay.” He lied straight through his teeth, and although he didn’t show it, she knew it. His pride was too big to admit that he needed help.   
Willow nearly rolled her eyes, but she refrained. “No you’re not,” she said slightly exasperated, “You’re lying to me, it’s almost like you forgot that I can read minds and emotions. You’re not okay. Just...for a moment let your ego down. You need help, even if you don’t want to admit it.” Her gaze was alight accusatory, but she looked back over at the pot on the fire. The small woman got up from her kneeling position and put on an oven mitt she had brought, taking the pot off of the flames. She took his bowl and poured some in his bowl. Once she did, she handed it back to him.   
“Here, you must be starving. Eat up.” She poured some for herself as well. As she handed him the bowl he scoffed out, “Don’t try to say what’s best for me. You don’t even know me.” He cut off, not wanting to hurt her. He knew she was right, but he couldn’t do it It was already a part of him, part of his broken and tortured soul. “Thanks,” he mumbled, balancing the bowl on his lap. He took off his gloves, his left hand was made of metal. Silently, he began to eat. Willow did not mind his attitude. It was expected of someone like him.   
As he ate, she paid no mind to the metal that was there instead of flesh. She did not care, as she created prosthetics herself. Willow just closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. She wasn’t in the mood to eat. The light of the fire casted shadows across her face, making her features more exaggerated. By now, the sun had completely set, and it was dark except for the fire. His emotions were deep and powerful, swirling in his mind like a fog, in a sense, except more dense. She was doing her best to not become overwhelmed by these emotions, to concentrate on the crackling of the fire, to listen to owls hooting, wind running through the leaves and branches of the trees around them. “If that’s the case,” which she knew it wasn’t, “you can be on your way whenever you please. I’ll leave the camp up for you if you come back. As well as a sleeping bag. But if you ever want to sleep soundly, just let me know.”   
He nodded a little as he took in her words before saying, ‘Thanks,’ in that deep and gruff voice of his. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a good night’s sleep, but he was used to that by now. The best method had always been to forget, but often that did not help. He looked over at her, how she sat there, eyes closed. For a while, it was silent, save for the crackling of the fire and the occasional nocturnal animal sound. He tapped his metal pointer finger to the now empty bowl he had on his lap before asking, “For the time that you have been here, have you ever seen, or...felt other people in this part of the forest?” He was slightly hoping that she would say yes, so that he could find out the man he was searching, and kill him.   
“Fleetingly,” she replied almost peacefully, “They tend to come and go. People come out here to get away from their lives, to camp, to spend time with family, except this one presence. I can’t exactly pinpoint it, but it is always here when I am, for just a few moments before it’s gone, like dust in the wind. They’re here, and then they’re not.” Her eyes opened suddenly, piercing him with her gaze. “Let me at least help you get some sleep tonight. You’re exhausted. You’re overworked. You need to give your mind and body some time to rest for a moment.” She could feel his anger and bitterness towards someone, and she felt, almost disappointed. “Please,” she added quietly.  
Bucky stared at his food. She was right, and he was so damn stubborn. For once, he had the chance of sleeping well, so why didn’t he take it? Maybe, if he was relaxed, he could be more focused on his mission. With that, he sighed, and relented to her. “Alright. Do your magic.” After he spoke, he tensed up. For some reason, he was afraid. How would it be, what might it be like? What...What if there was a chance that it would somehow make him weaker, for some reason. He still thought like a soldier at war, but there was no war, simply the one inside his head...and she could help him.   
Willow read him like a book. It was slightly intrusive, but even if she wasn’t able to read his mind, she would have still been able to tell that he was thinking hard about something. When he finally agreed, a grin split across her lips. “You have to be willing for me to fully help you. Don’t fight against me. I’ll go get the extra sleeping bag ready.” With that, she got up from her collapsible camping chair, and stepped into the tent after unzipping it. She got out a larger sleeping bag, one that was big and heavy, a light blue with fleece inside of it. He could probably fit in it. Once she finished setting up his little sleeping area, she stepped out of the tent, and walked back over to the fire. Willow grabbed an empty pail and told him that whenever he was ready, to go into the tent and lay down. “I’ll be in there shortly to help you sleep. I just have to put out the fire first. Try to relax. It’s always easier if you try to relax, alright?” She didn’t wait to see him nod or acknowledge what she said, as she just turned on her heel and went to the faucet in front of her car to fill the pail up with water. The small woman grinned as she heard him stand up and make his way to the tent. She heard him step in, and set his weapon down. When the pail was full, she rinsed off their bowls, and put out the fire. With that, she made her way to the tent.   
Bucky was in the small tent. He felt a little small, and weird, as he did not take his boots off to sleep. His gun lay next to him, and his hands rested at his side. He felt tired after eating, and for once was looking forward to sleeping. The silence and darkness calmed him down, and he thought about his day. ‘Could it be a trap?’ No, it couldn’t be, because his target did not know that he was being hunted. This day was strange, especially with meeting the woman in the woods, offering to help. Her strange abilities. Her willingness to help. Her kindness. It was off putting to him. It had been so long that someone wanted to help others. He had forgotten what it felt like. His thoughts were interrupted as she entered the tent, the sound of the flap zipping shut made him hyper aware that they were alone together.   
She laid down next to him, and gently placed her hand over his flesh one. She felt him flinch at the sudden contact, as he wanted to pull back when he felt her hand on his. He wasn’t used to feeling others that did not want to kill him in some way. Willow only held his hand a little more firmly, and she took a deep breath. Gently, her mind seeped into his, not deeply, just the surface of his consciousness. She began with just feelings, emotions. A soft happiness flowed from her mind to his, along with a deep peacefulness. Her thumb gently ran over his calloused knuckles as she tried to keep him as calm as possible. Then she sent sensations. The feeling of a warm breeze on his skin, through his air, that felt almost sticky. Sand between his toes, his fingers lightly rubbing it. Then the smells. A soft fragrance of fruit, like a coconut, mixed with the saltiness of the ocean. He could practically taste it on his tongue. The warmth of the rays hitting his skin, but it wasn’t like the setting sun, rather the rising of it. The start of a new day. She was whispering this memory in his mind. She was sharing a part of herself to him.  
The fact that these emotions were so personal surprised him. It felt as if she was opening herself to him, and that made him feel a bit uncomfortable, as he was a very closed and private person. But, for the first time in a long time, he drifted off to sleep without any nightmares. Without hearing screams, that he wasn’t sure if they were his, or his victims. The dark thoughts were gone for now. He let go of everything that worried or troubled him, and for once, enjoyed sleeping.   
She smiled as he started to sleep, staying awake as long as possible to push the nightmares away. At around eleven thirty pm, or midnight, she heard him groan and her drowsiness faded. Willow pushed more peaceful memories into him, making sure to stay awake for him.


	3. New Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry my dudes! I was supposed to post this chapter yesterday, but that was not the case >_<. Yes, I was wrong. Thank you for being patient, though. Let me know what you think in the comments, please. <3

Bucky slept soundly in the night. He did not wake up periodically, sweating as he dreamt about his past, his mouth dry and lips cracked from dehydration that were open in a silent scream, only realise that it wasn’t silent. This time, he dreamt of happy things, well, more of a memory. It was like time was standing still on that beach as he watched the sun hanging low on the horizon. The sky was pink and blue, instead of red and orange. The blush of the morning touching the white sand around him, staining it pink. The waves were a clear blue, and he listened as they crashed over the beach. Although time felt like it was standing still, he was well aware that time was passing in his dream. 

His long lashes fluttered for a moment as he opened his eyes. The sound of the forest awakening told him it was morning, as the soft golden sunlight started to trickle through. For a moment, he did not know where he was. He had forgotten about his mission, before the feeling of someone rubbing his knuckles made him aware that he was not alone in this tent. He slightly turned his head, soft brown strands falling from his face as he did so, and saw the woman, Willow, laying there next to him. Memories trickled back from last night and what surprised him was that he didn’t immediately pull away from her touch. He found that the skin to skin contact calmed him down, and though he wouldn’t admit it out loud, it felt good not to feel alone. He enjoyed her touch, the softness of it, how it eased him and how less on edge he felt. He didn’t realize that he needed it until now. That he craved the touch of someone in a way that was much deeper than a romantic touch. For a moment, he closed his eyes again, and just wished the sun would go back down again, so he could stay here in this little tent. So that he could stay within this warmth and positivity that wrapped him up like a blanket. He was safe from the nightmares in here, but the light of the morning shined on his eyelids, made him aware that this could not last forever.

“Good morning, soldier,” Willow said when she saw him turn to her. “How did you sleep?” The coolness of the air was shown as her breath could be slightly seen as she spoke. It was a chilly morning, and she was snuggled down in her sleeping bag. He looked better than last night, the bags under his eyes were less noticeable now. Their fingers were interlaced, to make sure he wouldn’t pull away in the night while he was sleeping. It seemed effective, and she gently let go a few minutes after he looked up. Bucky thought about his answer before saying, “Good. I slept good.” He said quietly to her, his voice hoarse. “And yourself?” 

This time she paused, thinking about her answer. She could lie to him, but that would be deceitful, and she just convinced this stranger she was no harm to him and to let her help him. She watched the even rise and fall of his chest for a moment and finally got out, “I didn’t sleep last night.” With that, she sat up and stretched, a loud cracking heard from her neck and back as she did so. “You’re more than welcome to stay for breakfast. I have plenty to eat.”

When he heard that, he sat up quickly. “You did this the whole night? The whole thing with the emotions? You know you didn’t have to, right?” Willow shrugged and she slipped on her boots, wiggling her toes in them, feeling her warm socks. “Your mind is...broken. So yes, I would rather know that I helped someone sleep well once more before I slept myself. Don’t feel bad about it.” She didn’t express it, but it felt good to be needed again. Very was she able to reap the benefits of helping someone. With a final push of peace, she let go of him mentally, and got out of the tent. She left the tent flap open as she got out the matches again. She started her routine of building them a fire, which she did quite quickly, and got out bacon, eggs, and bread. She started whipping up the eggs and put in some cinnamon, and flour. “On today’s menu, french toast and bacon. I have juice if you would like it. Its still a little cold, so still pretty good.” 

The sound of the fire crackling seemed to drown out most of the sounds in the forest. Bucky watched her from inside the tent flap. It felt strange in two ways as he sat there. The first was the normality of her actions, how she prepared breakfast for both of them, moving around her campsite with ease and making them food. Hearing her soft breaths as she exhaled, her nose slightly scrunched and eyes slightly narrowed as she concentrated on making the food. The other part was when she drew away from him mentally. It felt like something was suddenly missing from him, like she stole some of him with her when she left his mind. It made him feel vulnerable, and when he felt that way, he felt scared. What did she do to him to make him feel this way? Bucky realized that when she boosted his feelings of peace, his anger and hatred towards the rest of the world, his bloodlust to the men who had tortured him, had lessened. He tried to hold onto that feeling as best as he could. He shook his head a little and got out of the tent, grabbing his semi-automatic and zipping the tent behind him. The sound of his boots hitting the ground mixed in with her mixing the eggs, the plastic fork she used hitting the side of the metal bowl now and again. 

She quickly grabbed a skillet and placed it over the flames, putting some bacon on. She didn’t tell him, but she could now feel his emotions and hear his thoughts a little better. Willow shared a part of herself with him, and it made her feel more at peace because of that. What they experienced was something extremely intimate, that not even two lovers could share.She didn’t say this because she didn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable, so she just went on cooking the food. Laying the bread on the skillet with the bacon. It felt a little awkward now, like they just had a one night stand, and they were both choosing to stay, although this wasn’t the case. “Thank you,” Bucky’s gruff voice said quietly. 

Willow looked up at him with a small smile and said, “Of course. When was the last time you had french toast?” He thought about it for a moment. It was such a strange question to ask, much less to answer. “I can’t ever remember having french toast.” His voice was a little sad, possibly slightly apathetic, but mostly just matter of fact as he spoke. “Well then,” Willow said in a chirpy voice, as she clearly did not have a hard time in the mornings, “Prepare to have your taste buds fill with an amazing sensation that is french toast.” With that, she pried a couple of slices up with her spatula, and put them on a plate. She put the kettle over the fire and got out some coffee. 

“Coffee, tea, or cocoa?” 

“Coffee, please”

“Cream or sugar?”

“Just black, please.”

The small woman took the pot of boiling water off the fire, and set it down for a second. She put the grounded up coffee in a reusable strainer, and began to make a pour over for him. He watched how carefully she did so, and he took the mug when she was finished. He thanked her quietly and took a sip. Bucky then picked up a piece of french toast after cutting it with the fork he had and took a bite out of it. Willow watched as his eyes lit up a little and he looked at her. “This is really good,” he complimented after swallowing the bite. “Thank’s. My dad showed me how to make it.” As he ate, he realized how rude he was last night, and a short spike or guilt came over him, but he didn’t say anything. Willow continued to eat her share as well. She distributed the bacon out evenly. She assumed he would eat a lot of meat based on his build. 

For a moment, they both quietly enjoyed their food, the sound of the fire and forest, and each other’s company. Bucky then asked, “How long have you been out here for?” Willow’s brow furrowed a little as she thought on it. “This is my third day. What about you? A strange man in the woods with a semi-automatic gun. Why are you out here?” She looked at him with the same curiosity he regarded her in. “I arrived yesterday. I parked the car a few hours from here.” He then paused and thought about the rest of her question. He was wondering how much to tell her because she could be put in danger as well. He figured it couldn’t hurt to ask her. She seemed to be a frequent visitor in these woods. She could help him. “I’m...I’m looking for someone. They’re here, in these woods. I believe last night you told me about a person you feel out here sometimes. A presence that comes and goes?” 

She took a sip from her mug, hot cocoa warm in her mouth. She mulled it around before answering. “Mhmm. Fleeting, but consistent before they get out of my range.” She tapped her fingernails on the mug, looking into the fire more intently now. One thing she didn’t mention about it, is that she always felt uneasy when ever she felt that presence in her range. It never seemed...lonely. It felt like a shell of a human. She shook herself out of her thoughts, and looked over at the man next to her, shoving food in his mouth like someone was about to take the food from him. She said nothing, as she watched him. It was common that he would try to eat as fast as possible as in the military, you only had about ten minutes to eat before you were called to your station. 

Bucky stopped for a moment and thought for a moment. Absolutely under no circumstances would he bring her into any danger. She is a civilian, and he didn’t want to be in charge of a casualty. He realized that he was very much enjoying it here, but he had a mission to complete, and thought about what to say next. “These woods are big, where did you last feel him? I only know that he is supposed to be around here somewhere.” 

Willow leaned in a little as he spoke, and listened closely. She herself wasn’t aware of who this person was, but she had an idea if he was being hunted, he was not friendly. Obviously, Bucky seemed to know, and she wondered who the man next to her was. “How about I show you, instead. You seemed a little lost when I found you.” She had no idea what she just signed up for. What danger she was placing herself in in this moment. 

“Thank you. Your food tastes good, by the way.” He spoke, but his mind was somewhere else, already out on his mission hunting this person. The soldier hoped no one had seen his car, as he wanted to take the person he was hunting by surprise. He already felt the adrenaline rushing through his veins as he sat there, mentally preparing. Even after all this time, his killing instincts were still there. But it wasn’t as if he had just stopped and put them in a box while he was getting ‘rehabilitated’. Instead of actually trying to go through with it, he let his anger consume him. Bloodlust washed over him every day, somehow thinking that if he hunted those who had hurt him or others, everything would be fixed. He snapped out of his thoughts a little and looked at the small woman who was staring intently. If it had been spring, her eyes would have been as green as the forest around him. It was refreshing. Her eyes were warm, unlike those he interacted with on a more frequent basis. He finished his coffee and meal. Who knew when he would eat next with his fucked up schedule. 

“Thank you,” she said while nibbling on a piece of french toast. She noticed how he stared at her intently, like he was trying to read her, in a sense. When she finished, she washed off their plates with the spout, and started to put the fire out. “I’ll pack up and we can go. Go grab what you need for now.” She started putting things back in the blue and white cooler, and making sure that nothing was too odorus when they left. She didn’t want to attract animals to the site. When he put his semi-automatic over his shoulder, and his gloves back on his hands, he was ready. Willow got in the grey SUV, and turned the engine over, the car roaring to life before it only hummed as it woke up from three days of not being turned on. “Ready when you are, Bucky,” she said through a rolled down window. The man stepped in with ease, and she started to go, leaving the site. 

“I packed us water, some snacks, and medical kit. It’s light, easy to use. But soon, we’re going to have to park and walk the rest of the way.” The man nodded, a brooding look on his face. She drove about fifteen minutes, and parked near an outlook. Willow grabbed her .22 and put it in its holster on her hip, the double barrel shotgun on her back. She got out, slamming the car door. When he did the same, she locked the door, and started on the trail next to the cliff. Rather, they were on top of it. “Is it far,” he asked behind her. His weapon in his hands, he felt a bit safer with it as they walked. “No, it’s only-” Willow cut off, feeling, rather sensing, something unusual. She concentrated for a moment, and then picked up the pace. Bucky followed with ease, his long legs helping him in this situation. Whatever she felt didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel human. But it was, at the same time, just strange and weird. It had thoughts, but more like several thoughts stitched together. It was too many precenses to be just a single person. 

“Wha-Willow?” He called out to her as she sped up. Suddenly he felt it. He was in that tunnel of adrenaline. His heart rate sped up, and he followed her. Was she going towards or away from something? What if this was a trap? What if he was running right into the arms of the man he has been hunting? He did not allow himself to think, just follow his instincts now. He saw Willow stop at a fork in the road. Her eyes were closed. She looked to be concentrating. Bucky had to trust her now. She was like his compass now. When he caught up, her eyes were bright. “Stay in contact with me. If you hear me in your head, don’t push me out. I won’t pry, I promise.’ He nodded slightly and said a brief, ‘Okay,’ before they continued. They took the rightmost path, as it led deeper into the forest. 

He wanted to ask what she felt, but she was already walking deeper into the forest. He would be lost without the small woman. Part of him felt irritated at that fact, but the other part felt helpless, which led him to feeling more irritated that he felt that. It was a cycle now, but he tried to push his feelings aside, seeing as she was affected by that. Bucky didn’t want to disrupt the connection she was following. ‘There is one clear, but several are fuzzy, overlapping.’ Bucky heard her soft voice like a whisper in his head, and he didn’t know how to respond. Her stomach clenched as she felt sick bloodlust. A sadistic feeling of need for power and pride. It was twisted and wrong. 

Bucky caught up to her and he asked, “What is it? What are you feeling?” He felt her concern. Could it be him? Whatever it was, Bucky had a feeling he would soon become a witness to something unpleasant. Something that would haunt his dreams forever. But there was not much that could shock him anymore. He was witness to war crimes, and things far worse than the human psyche could produce, much less handle seeing. But he was different. He had been to hell and back. Suddenly, Willow went off path, and just stopped a little in. He caught up, and asked “How much further? Where?” The small woman shook her head. “Not how far away. How far down,” she said as she stomped her foot on a patch of leaves covering the ground. Instead of a hard thump one would normally expect, there was a hollow clang. She looked up at him, her heart racing. “We’re here.”


	4. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two discover something in the woods, and something within themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Yes, I am aware it’s been a whole year since I’ve uploaded a chapter. Yes. I’m aware that that is waaaaaaayyyyy too long. I’ve started uploading again for Rupee. Thank you for reading.

“For God’s sake,” Bucky mumbled. He looked all around them, trying to see if there were any traps or cameras. For any sign whatsoever of what this could be, what could be down there. A large part of him, the part that was a hellhound, braying and demanding blood to drink its fill, hoped that he would find who he was looking for down there. The other part of him, a tiny whisper, hoped that this wasn’t it. That he could listen, and rest, or rather, keep hunting. Hunting these people gave him a purpose in his life. A reason to keep going. Instead of thinking of anything to say, he heard himself say, “So, what is it? What’s down there? Is anyone down there?” 

Willow looked at him with an, ‘are you serious’ look. “I don’t know. Maybe a fluffy dog wanting to have a person to come rescue them,” she said sarcastically. She saw him tense up, and she sighed. “Yes, there is a person down there. And something else. I just don’t know what it is.” She felt a little bad for the sarcasm, but he was acting as if she could see what was down there. She could have a better understanding of where the person was, that they were moving around because their thoughts were fuzzy, then clearer, then maybe fuzzy once more. The small woman looked up at him, eyes filled with an emotion he couldn’t read, much less herself. “Are you ready,” She asked quietly.

Bucky looked at her as she spoke. Of course he was ready. This is what he came here to do. To hunt. The blood in his ears roared like a beast, ready to be unleashed. “Yeah, I am,” He said while nodding. His grip on his weapon tightened and he asked, “Do you want to breach the hatch?” He hoped she said yes because he desperately wanted to be the first person in there. He wanted to fight. Willow nodded and uncovered the leaves from the hidden hatch. It was gross, caked with dirt, mud, and leaves. She found the handle and squatted down, grasping it and pulling it open. It was well oiled, and quiet as she opened it. Her hands slightly slipped on the handle as she worked, the morning dew making it more difficult for her to keep a tight grip on it. When it was all the way open, she stood, her knees slightly popping from the motion. 

Inside was a large hole. It was dark, with a ladder going down. A stale smell came from it, like the air there hadn’t moved in years, but instead was trapped. Bucky wondered what was down there. Was it a man? A monster? A machine? There were endless possibilities, and none of them were good. When Willow went to go down first, he stopped her, his gloved metal hand lightly on her arm. She stopped and looked at him, and he took a deep breath, turning around and starting his descent into the darkness. Willow followed after he was a couple rungs down, to give him space.

The air smelled of dust, and had a certain dankness to it. Bucky could practically feel the dust move under his nose as he distrubed the settled sediment on the metal rungs. He tried to make as little noise as possible, which came naturally to him. His breathing was controlled, his gloved hands carefully placing themselves on the rungs. His feet barely touching the ones below him. This came to him with ease, as his muscles seemed to remember what to do more than his brain. He remembered that he had been climbing before, as wall climbing was the first thing they taught you in basic training. He couldn’t tell when the climb would end, as it was too dark. The light slowly started to fade from above, and he had a feeling that they were almost there. He continued to climb through the dark, until he felt his feet suddenly hit concrete. 

Willow, who was above him, followed him through the dark. There was another smell here, but, she couldn’t place it. It smelled like metal, maybe copper, but her bare hands were rubbing on these metal rungs that felt like they hadn’t been used in years. More like a couple decades, so she brushed off the smell, thinking it just came from the residue on her hands. There was no warning from him when he stepped down, so she landed extra hard on her feet with a small, ‘oof’ followed by a temporary stinging pain from the impact. She vaguely saw the outline of his facial features staring at the tunnel ahead. Her eyes were starting to adjust more quickly to the dark now. ‘Are you still there,’ she asked him quietly in his mind. It wasn’t a question if he was still there with her physically, but rather if he was aware that she was still there. Aware of her presence. Willow was scared, nervous, to say the least. The small woman had never done anything like this before, and that hung over her head in a metaphorical fog. 

Bucky was looking toward the muted tunnel in front of them now. He felt a soft draft from where they were heading to. It made strands of his dark hair flutter, and he felt it gently tickle his right cheek. When he heard her soft voice in his head, he slightly turned his head to the side, as if he was listening to something she was audibly saying. ‘Yes,’ he answered back with a thought. He was reminded that he now had someone with him. That slightly made him tense up, but she led him here. She followed him down here. He didn’t ask her to, and so in his mind, he was not completely responsible for her. He felt her fear and insecurity, and he tried to not let it influence him. He had a mission to complete, and he had no time to feel these emotions. He was a trained killer. An assassin. ‘A murder,’ a small voice whispered in his mind. He pushed it aside and rolled his shoulder back a little. He felt her mind in his and he internally, ‘Do you feel any people inside here? Where are they? How many?’ This form of communication still scared him, but now when he felt it, he felt more startled. He was not used to someone being in his head and not trying to control him. 

‘Just one actual human mind. Be on guard.’ The small green eyed woman reach out behind him, and lightly touched just above his elbow. She saw him flinch at the contact, but for now, she kept it there. She needed to feel him, to remind herself that he was here as well. ‘Be safe,’ was all she whispered in his mind before letting go. With that, they started down the tunnel. Willow held her double barrel shotgun in her hands, loaded and ready to go. Ammunition in her pockets, just in case. Bucky was alert, and held his gun up, safety off, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. He stepped carefully, almost like he didn’t trust the ground beneath his feet. Willow followed him, her steps slightly more noisy than his, seeing as she wasn’t trained for this type of thing. Other than them there, the tunnel was silent. The sound of blood flowing to their ears was the only thing either of them could hear.

After a moment, they started to hear something, though it was faint. ‘Wait,’ Willow whispered quietly in his mind. They both stopped, and they both heard it the sound of soft clattering, and then soft groaning, almost. The sudden sound of skin on skin could be heard, and willow cringed. ‘What is it,’ Bucky thought to his new companion. Hopefully, temporary, but he pushed those thoughts down. He silently cursed himself for not taking anything to help him see. The sound of flesh hitting the ground sounded, Like something heavy. Bucky did not like that sound, not at all. Who or what were they about to face?

After a moment, Willow swallowed and replied silently, ‘Many.’ The word was laced with emotions and fear. Fear of what they could not see and fear of what she could feel. She moved around him, and grasped out blindly. Eventually she found the wall, and felt to the corner, smoothed out by sculptors. For a moment, her head peaked around that corner, and she watched in horror. Quickly, slightly stumbling over her own feet, which felt rooted to the ground, she stepped back and looked over at him. She swallowed, she wasn’t sure if it was audible or not based on the sound of her heart thrumming in her ears in a panicked rate, and looked at him. ‘People, taken apart and stitched back together like meat. A grotesque creature made of limbs and minds that are of different people. We must kill all of them if we are to kill the thing as a whole.’   
Willow did not realize that she had tears running down her cheeks. The image of that monster was seared into her mind. It was like Dr. Frankenstein had built his creature, and then, he had taken the parts he did not use to see if he could replicate it once more. Almost how a child might hurt someone to see what the reaction was, except these were real people, suffering. She couldn’t help but show the man she had just met what it looked like through their mental connection. As soon as she did, Bucky felt nauseous. His mind spun, and the anger that was once there to replace fear was now disgust and horror. 

‘Oh my God. Who the hell would do such a thing?’ He took a deep breath to concentrate, though it sounded slightly strained as he tried not to be heard, and tried to not throw up at the same time. ‘Okay, we have to attack it together, so it will have more than one target to try to attack, and based on your reading, it-‘ She cut him off in the middle of his mind spinning to form a plan. ‘Another,’ she said quietly in his mind. Willow showed him. This man was taller, and stood at maybe five feet and ten or so inches. His beard was greying and trimmed. ‘Is this who you are looking for,’ she asked in his mind.

Bucky was confused. It was not the man he was looking for, but he would find some reason to beat him to a pulp. Anyone who could do this deserved the wrath of this man. He was trained to kill and torture after all. He looked over at the woman, and nodded. ‘Ready whenever you are.’ She nodded, and so the plan spun into action.


End file.
